Filled with curiosity, I let them lead me outside, back into what I expected to be breath-stealing temperatures, but I ended up stepping into an oasis.
“Oh my God…” I breathed.
Dee rocked back on her heels. “Told you that you were going to love this. Beautiful, isn’t it?”
All I could do was nod. Numerous medium-size palms lined a quartz-embedded privacy wall, creating the perfect shaded area. The space was rectangular, with a large patio with a grill, fire pit, and various lounge chairs. Brightly colored flowers lined the paver walkway, as did bushes I’d seen in the desert but couldn’t name. The scent of jasmine and sage was strong in the air. Toward the end of the property was a pool with a natural stone deck.
It was the kind of garden you saw on TV.
“When Dee told me that you loved to garden, I knew we’d have something in common.” Lyla ran her fingers along a red and yellow croton. “I think your love of gardening has rubbed off on Dee. She’s been helping me.”
“It helped.” Dee shrugged. “You know, not to think about so many things.”
That’s what I’d loved about gardening. It was the great mind-emptier. After investigating everything from the mulch to the neutral-colored pebbles, I followed Dee upstairs to the second floor. Daemon was with Dawson, Matthew, and the Thompson siblings. He needed to spend time with them. Besides, hanging out with Dee was bringing me a world of warm fuzzies.
One of the bedroom doors was closed, and I figured that was where Beth was. “How is Beth doing?” I asked.
Dee slowed down, falling in step with me. Her voice was low. “She’s okay, I guess. She doesn’t talk much.”
“Is she…?” Wow. How did I ask this question without sounding insensitive?
“Sane?” suggested Dee, but she did so without scorn. “Some days are better than others, but she’s been really tired lately, sleeping a lot.”
I stepped around a giant urn packed with snake plants. “Well, she can’t be coming down with something. We don’t get sick.”
“I know.” Dee stopped at a bedroom at the end of the hall. “I just think the traveling has her stressed out. She wanted to help, don’t get me wrong, but she’s scared.”
“She has a right to be.” I brushed a few strands of hair out of my face and focused on the room. The bed was big enough for five people and had a mountain of pillows stacked against the headboard. “So this is our bedroom?”
“Huh?” Dee was staring at me, and then she shook her head. “Sorry. Yes. For you and my brother.” A giggle escaped. “Wow. A year ago, Katy…”
A smile tugged at my lips. “I would’ve rather stabbed myself repeatedly in the eye with a spork than sleep in the same house as Daemon.”
“A spork?” Dee laughed as she went over to the closet. “That’s serious.”
“It is.” I sat on the bed and immediately fell in love with the firmness. “Sporks are only used in the most dire situations.”
Tugging her hair up into a ponytail, she stepped inside. I could see a few of my outfits in there. “I grabbed a couple of everything—jeans, shirts, dresses, underoos.”
“Thank you. I mean it. This,” I said, gesturing at myself, “is all I have. It will be nice to change into something that’s mine after…” I trailed off, not seeing the point in going there. Scanning the room for a distraction, I spotted another door. “Do we have our own bathroom?”
“Yep. Every room does. This house is sick.” She blinked out in front of the closet and reappeared on the bed beside me. “It makes it kind of hard to leave this place.”
I’d only been here a few hours, and I wanted to adopt the house. “So, where are you going after this? With us?”
She shrugged. “I honestly don’t know. I’m not thinking about it yet, because I don’t know how possible it’s going to be for all of us to stay together. Going home is out of the question for a ton of reasons.” She paused, looking at me. “Everyone at school was so…different after you and Daemon disappeared. With all the police and the journalists back again, people really started to get paranoid. Lesa was beside herself, especially after what happened to Carissa. It’s good she has her boyfriend. She thinks Dawson and I left town to visit family. Kind of true.”
Worrying the hem of my shirt, I steeled myself. “Can I ask you a question?”
“Sure. Anything.”
“My mom—how is she?”
Dee took a moment to respond. “You want the truth, or do you want me to make you feel better?”
“It’s bad, isn’t it?” Tears welled up in my eyes so fast I had to look away.
“You know the answer to that.” She found my hand and squeezed. “Your mom is upset. She took a lot of time off work—her jobs were okay with that. Very understanding from what I heard. She doesn’t believe you and Daemon ran away. That’s what the police finally decided when they could find no evidence of why you, Daemon, and Blake disappeared, but I also think some of the officers were in on it. They jumped to the runaway conclusion way too fast.”
I shook my head. “Why doesn’t that surprise me? Daedalus has people everywhere.”
“Your mom found the laptop Daemon bought you. I had to tell her that he got it for you. Anyway, she knew you’d never run away without a laptop.”
I gave a short laugh. “That sounds about right.”
She squeezed my hand again. “Your mom is doing okay, though, all things considered. She’s really strong, Katy.”
“I know.” I looked at her then. “But she doesn’t deserve this. I can’t stand the idea of her not knowing what happened to me.”
She nodded. “I’ve spent a lot of time with her, just hanging out and helping with the house until we left. I even kept your garden weeded. I thought that could somehow make up for everything we dragged you into.”
“Thank you.” I moved so I was facing her. “I mean that. Thank you for spending time with her and helping her out, but you guys didn’t drag me into anything. Okay? None of this is your fault or Daemon’s.”
Her eyes glistened, and she said in a small voice, “You really mean that?”
“Of course!” Shock rippled through me. “Dee, you guys didn’t do anything wrong. This is all on Daedalus. That’s who I blame. They are responsible. No one else.”
“I’ve just been so upset. I’m happy to know that you don’t feel that way. Ash said you probably hated me—hated us.”
“Ash is a douche.”
Dee laughed outright. “She can be sometimes.”
I sighed. “I just wish there was something we could do other than just run.”
“Yeah, me, too.” Her knee bounced as she let go of my hand and tugged her ponytail down. “Can I ask you a question?”
“Sure.”
She bit down on her lower lip. “How bad was it?”
I tensed. The one question I didn’t want to be asked, but Dee waited, her expression so earnest that I had to say something. “Some days were better than others.”
“I can imagine,” she said softly. “Beth talked about it once. She said they would hurt her.”
Thinking about my back, I pressed my lips together. “They do that. They did and said a lot of things.”
She paled and several moments passed. “While we were heading here, Luc said that you…that Blake is dead. Is that true?”
I sucked in a sharp breath. Archer must’ve told him. “Blake’s dead.” I stood, tugging my hair back. “This isn’t something I want to talk about—not any of the stuff that happened there. I’m sorry. I know you’re just concerned. But it’s not something I want to think about. It screws with my head.”
“Okay. But if you ever do, you know I’m here for you, right?” I nodded, and Dee fixed a bright smile across her face. “So let’s move on to better stuff. Like that fine-looking specimen of a man who came in with you—the one with the military cut?”
“Archer?”
“Yes. He’s hot. And I’d spell that H-A-W-T.”
I busted out
laughing, and once I did I couldn’t stop. Tears tracked down my face while she watched, perplexed. “What?” she demanded.
“I’m sorry.” I wiped at my face with my fingers and plopped back down beside her. “It’s just that I’m positive Daemon would stroke out if he heard that.”
She scowled. “Daemon would stroke out if I showed interest in any kind.”
“Well, Archer is different,” I started slowly.
“Why? Because he’s older? He can’t be that much older, and besides, he’s obviously a good guy. He risked his life to help you guys. But there is something different that I’m picking up on from him. Probably it’s the whole military vibe.”
I figured it was time to drop the bomb. “Archer isn’t human, Dee.”
Her frown deepened. “So he’s a hybrid? Makes sense.”
“Uh, no. He’s, well, he’s something different. He’s what they call an origin—he’s a kid of a Luxen and a hybrid.”
After that sunk in, she shrugged. “So? I’m an alien. I’m not judgmental.”
I smiled at that, glad she was showing interest in a guy after Adam. “Well, there’s one more thing. I’d be careful of what you think around him.”
“Why?”
“The origins have some freaky abilities,” I explained, watching her eyes widen into saucers. “He can read your mind without you even knowing.”
Dee’s face went from pale to bright cherry. “Oh God.”
“What?”
She smacked her hands over her face. “Well, the whole time we were downstairs, I was so picturing him naked.”
…
After changing into an old terry-cloth tube dress that passed the show-no-scars test, I joined Dee and everyone downstairs. A massive dinner of extravagant levels followed, consisting of juicy fruits I didn’t even know existed, tangy and sweet meats, and a salad that filled the biggest bowl I’d ever seen. I ate more than I’d thought humanly possible, even some of the grilled meat off Daemon’s plate. Bethany had joined us, and she had hugged me the moment we crossed paths. Other than looking utterly worn out, she seemed fine, and her appetite rivaled my own.
Daemon nudged his plate over to me with his finger. “You’re going to eat Lyla out of house and home.”
Shrugging, I picked up another cube from his shish kebab and popped it into my mouth. “It’s been so long since I had food that wasn’t bland and served on a plastic tray.”
He winced, and I immediately regretted saying that. “I—”
“Eat as much as you want,” he said, glancing away. A muscle began to pulse in his jaw.
Then he piled more skewers on my plate, plus a handful of grapes and roasted pork loin, so much food that if I ate all of it, they’d have to roll me out of there. My gaze flicked away, meeting Dawson’s. He looked…he just looked sad.
I reached under the table and placed my hand on Daemon’s knee, giving it a squeeze. His head swiveled toward me, a deep brown curl falling across his forehead. I smiled for him, and it seemed to go a long way, because he relaxed once more.
And I ate as much food as I could stomach, knowing that it did something for Daemon. What it did exactly, I wasn’t sure, but by the end of the dinner, he was being his usual charming and douchey self.
Our group moved outside after dinner. Daemon stretched out his happy ass on one of the white-cushioned lounge chairs, and I sat by his legs. The talk was light, what everyone needed. Luc and Paris joined us, as did Archer. Even Ash and Andrew weren’t their normal antisocial selves.
Well, they really didn’t talk to me, but they chimed in whenever Daemon or Dawson or Matthew made a comment. I didn’t say much, mainly because I was busy paying attention to Bethany and Dawson.
They were just too adorable.
Sharing a chair, Beth sat in Dawson’s lap, her cheek nestled under his chin. He continuously moved his hand up and down her back. Every so often, he’d murmur something in her ear, and she’d smile or laugh quietly.
When I wasn’t watching them, I was keeping track of Dee.
Throughout the evening, she crept closer…and closer to where Archer sat chatting with Lyla. I was counting the minutes until Daemon noticed.
It took twenty.
“Dee,” he called out. “Why don’t you go get me a drink?”
His sister froze halfway between the patio table and the fire pit. Her luminous eyes narrowed. “What?”
“I’m thirsty. I think you should be a nice sister and get a drink for your poor brother.”
Twisting at my waist, I shot Daemon a dirty look. He raised his brows at me and folded his hands behind his head. I turned back to Dee. “Don’t you dare get him a drink.”
“Wasn’t planning on it,” she replied. “He’s got two legs.”
Daemon wasn’t deterred. “Then why don’t you come over here and spend time with me?”
I rolled my eyes.
“I don’t think there’s room for me on that lounge.” She folded her arms. “And as I much as I love you two, I don’t want to get that close.”
By that point, Daemon had successfully captured everyone’s attention. “I’ll make room for my sister,” he cajoled.
“Uh huh.” She spun around and stalked over to the patio. Pulling out a chair, she plopped down next to Archer and shoved out her hand. “I don’t think we’ve been officially introduced.”
Archer glanced down at her slender hand, then at Daemon for the tiniest second, and then he took her hand. “We haven’t.”
Six feet and a lot of inches of alien stiffened behind me. Oh dear.
“I’m Dee Black. I’m the sister of the douchebag known as Daemon.” She smiled brightly. “But you probably already know that.”
“That he’s a douchebag or that he’s your brother?” Archer asked innocently. “The answer is yes to both.”
I choked on my laugh.
Heat rolled off Daemon. “Am I also the brother who’s going to kick your ass if you don’t let go of my sister’s hand? The answer is yes to that, too.”
Dawson snickered from his chair.
I found myself smiling. Some things never changed. The overprotective side of Daemon was still an overbearing ass.
“Ignore him,” Dee said. “He has poor social skills.”
“I can vouch for that,” I threw out.
Daemon knocked his foot off my hip, and I glanced back at him. He winked and said in a low voice, “That is so not happening.”
Archer still hadn’t let go of Dee’s hand as he talked with her, and I wondered if he was doing that to goad Daemon or if he just wanted to hold her hand. Daemon opened his mouth to say something jerkish.
I grabbed his ankle. “Leave them alone.”
“No can do.”
Sliding my fingers under the hem of his jeans, I met his stare. “Please?”
His eyes narrowed into incandescent green slits.
“Pretty please?”
“Is there sugar on top?”
“Maybe.”
“There has to be, and there better be a lot of sugar.” He sat up fluidly and moved so that his knees were on either side of my hips. He wrapped his arms around my waist, resting his chin on my shoulder. I turned my cheek toward his. A shiver skated over my skin as his lips brushed my chin. “I needs lots of sugar,” he added. “What say you?”
“Leave them alone and maybe,” I replied, more than a little breathless at the prospect.
“Hmm…” He tugged me back into the V of his legs. “You drive a hard bargain.”
Something really dirty popped into my head, and I flushed.
Daemon leaned back, head tilting to the side. “What are you thinking, Kitten?”
“Nothing,” I said, biting my lip.
He didn’t look convinced. “Are you having impure thoughts about me? Gasp.”
“Impure thoughts?” I giggled. “I wouldn’t go that far.”
Daemon’s lips brushed the lobe of my ear, and another shiver made its way down my spine. “I’d go tha
t far and then some.”
Shaking my head, I realized Daemon was thoroughly distracted from who Dee was talking to. She owed me. Not that being in Daemon’s arms and feeling the length of him was a chore or anything. Not when his fingers started toying with the hem of my dress, the back of his hand lazily brushing my thighs.
Dawson and Beth were the first ones to call it a night. They shuffled past us, Beth sending me a smile and a soft “good night.” Matthew and Lyla were next, though they seemed to go in different directions. I couldn’t let myself entertain any other idea there. That would just be gross, because Matthew had been my teacher.
Night broke and everyone else headed inside, including Archer and Dee. As they entered the sunroom, Daemon craned his neck so far I thought his head would fall off, which was pointless because they both were going upstairs.
I decided to keep that observation to myself lest he go tearing after them.
Only Daemon and I remained in the courtyard, staring up at the star-ridden sky. As soon as we were alone, I crawled into his lap, tucking my head under his chin. Every so often he placed a kiss against my forehead, my cheek…my nose, and every time he did, he erased another minute of the time spent with Daedalus. His kisses really did have the power to change lives. Not that I’d admit that. His ego was ginormous as it was.
We weren’t talking, because I think there was so much to say and, at the same time, there was nothing to be said. We were out of Area 51, and for that very second we were safe, but our future was unknown. Daedalus was searching for us, and we couldn’t stay there forever. It was too close to Area 51, and with this kind of sizeable population there were too many prying eyes from people who would begin to ask questions. Luc had the LH-11, and we had no idea what it was truly capable of or why Luc wanted something so volatile. There were the hybrids and Luxen back at the facility and those kids…those freaky kids.
I had no idea what was going to happen from here on out, and even thinking about it scared the ever-loving crap out of me. Tomorrow wasn’t guaranteed. Neither were the next couple of hours. My breath caught with that realization, and I stiffened. The next minute was unknown to us, and it might not even come.
Daemon’s arms tightened around me. “What are you thinking, Kitten?”
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